Zwane On Orlando Pirates Title Race: “They Deserve It”
AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane said Orlando Pirates potentially winning this season’s Betway Premiership title ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns was long overdue, given how consistently they have challenged in recent years.
Pirates will secure the league title if they beat Durban City FC at the sold-out Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday afternoon.
The title race swung in Pirates’ favour after Sundowns suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday.
“You would have thought Sundowns would push all the way,” said Zwane, whose side will host Kaizer Chiefs at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
“By the look of things, Pirates might win the league. At Orlando, at the Arena, you sometimes have to give credit because teams go there and concede five or six goals; we conceded three.”
Incredible, AmaZulu has never defeated Pirates at Orlando Amstel Arena since the venue was reopened in 2008.
“Pirates at Orlando are on a different level. We have to give credit where it is due. If you look at this same team two or three years ago, you could see it coming — they have been knocking on the door,” continued Zwane.
“When you look at football, we need that kind of competition. And for them to push the way they have, they deserve something.
“They have finished second so many times, and you could see it building. I don’t support Arsenal, but I’ll tell you this: based on the effort from the coach [Mikel Arteta] and the way the team has kept pushing Manchester City, Arsenal deserve to win the Premier League.
“It’s just that this is the PSL, so I can’t say who should win it because, as a coach, I should have been fighting for those honours myself.”
Sundowns have won the league title eight consecutive times, starting in the 2017/18 season under legendary coach Pitso Mosimane.
If Pirates win on Saturday, it will mark their first league title since the 2011/12 season under Augusto Palacios. It will also mark the third treble in the PSL, having also claimed one in the same season 14 years ago.
Zwane, whose side has averaged 24 years of age this season, also praised his team’s efforts after they briefly had an opportunity to move into second place on the table.
Usuthu are currently fourth in the Betway Premiership with 44 points from 28 matches.
However, they can no longer finish third, with Chiefs having secured that position and qualification for next season’s CAF Confederation Cup.
“But when you look at the amount of work we have put in, AmaZulu have been a surprise package to be in the top four with the squad we assembled,” said Zwane.
“All of you who have interviewed me know the truth. That’s why I’m proud of these players. I don’t care what anyone says — I could die for these boys because of what they have done this season.”
